Many people don’t know that proper care of a Japanese katana is essential not only to the preservation of the sword but also to protect one’s self from any accidental cuts. If you have a japanese katana, this article will teach you essential maintenance techniques for preserving your blade.
Keep away from dirt and dust
First, we have to keep the Japanese katana from dirt and dust. The following cases may cause cracks or rust on your sword.
If you leave your sword in a place with a lot of dust or with direct sunlight for a long time, the blade will be exposed to harmful chemical agents coming from the dust and air pollution. If this happens, there will be a possibility for your sword cutting edge to get damaged. This is because the steel of your sword is vulnerable to chemical agents in air pollution.
A lot of people leave their katana in a high position in the closet and don’t put it on the floor. If you do this, the katana will be exposed to air pollution and damage your blade.
Do not dry with hot air
Unlike metal tools and metal goods, swords are made from steel which is a soft metal. Because swords are usually made from cold-rolled steel, they may be damaged easily by burning heat. Therefore, we cannot expose the blade to high heat or hot air directly as it may result in warping.
For example, if you put your sword next to a heater and go out of your house, the hot air would dry up the oil covering the surface of your sword when you come back. This hot air would also cause internal damage to the structure of your sword. In addition, because most Japanese blades are made from soft steel, they are easily bendable. Therefore, they might become unusable.
Do not polish it
Polishing is a process which removes scratches on your blade with a special tool and abrasive powder. This process is generally used to restore the appearance of the blade and make it look as good as new. However, this process may result in damage to the structure of your sword since it removes too much steel material. The sword may be bent or even broken if too much material is removed from its structure.
Do not dry it with a dryer
This process is used to remove moisture and water from a soft material such as paint, cloth, etc. This process is also commonly applied to swords, but we should be careful not to expose the sword to too much heat. When you put your sword in the machine of the dryer, there will be a possibility that the blade will be bent or broken because of internal pressure generated from high temperature of the machine.
